Reflections
by Beth-Star
Summary: Sophie is searching for the truth, but the truth doesn't seem to want to find her. At first confused what her friend has been hiding for her, soon it is the last thing on her mind as she is fighting for her life. Chapter Three up!
1. Yellow Brick Road

**Title**: - Reflections

**Rating**: - PG-13, occasional cussing and moderate violence

**Disclaimer**: - The Matrix universe and associated characters are owned by the Wachowski Brothers. 

Agents: the series universe and associated characters are co-owned by Stormhawk and Overlord Mordax, Recruit Zane is owned by The Red Pony.

I own Sophie Starling and Jack. Yay!

**Notes**: - This is unrelated to my first fic Not Neo, and Agents: the series cannon, it is just me flitting around with some ideas in Stormhawk, and Overlord Mordax's graciously lent universe. Thank you!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Chapter One- Yellow Brick Road 

_It was Dark. Very dark. Fingers gently pressed against the windowpane, raindrops trickling down the cold glass. _

Pressing harder, the glass started to give way, icy and soft under her hands. She was slowly falling through the glass to the world outside…

Sophie jolted awake from her computer. She had fallen asleep on the keyboard. Again. 

She blearily rubbed her cheek, hoping it hadn't left an imprint.

Reaching over the clutter of her desk, she shut down a few search pages, chat rooms, and missing person reports. 

She checked her clock, her alarm was set for 7.30, and so she probably had some time before she had to get ready for school. 

Frowning, Sophie realised that she couldn't find her alarm clock; looking at her computer screen she froze as she saw that is was actually 11.15.  AM. 

Swearing under her breath, she grabbed her bag and proceeded to clamber around her room trying to find random school things. 

Why hadn't her alarm gone off?

Going to take a sip of last night's cold coffee, she decided that it was pretty likely the alarm hadn't gone off because it was half floating in her coffee-mug.

Sighing, she snatched her house keys and tripping over her litterbin scrambled out the door. Casting a glance back to her messy room to check she hadn't forgotten anything, she hoped her step-dad didn't realise she had overslept again. 

* * *

"Miss Starling, this is the 4th time you've been late this term"

Sophie stared despondently at her trainers. 

The Head teacher stood up behind her desk, and reached for a file.

"...And it's only the second week." The woman sighed in exasperation.

"If you continue with this attitude, I dare say you won't make it to the end of this year, let alone graduation!"

Sophie tried to just focus on the carpet. Sure she'd been a little slow with getting here on time lately, but it wasn't her fault, she'd had more important things to do.

"We don't want to have a problem with you, Miss Starling. Am I making myself clear?"

 "Yes miss. Perfectly clear."

***

Sophie slumped down at her desk and smiled as a slightly scruffy, blond-haired boy swung down his bag and sat opposite her. 

"Hey Jack, you weren't in fifth lesson, over-sleep?"

Jack grinned sheepishly. "Well…that's what Mrs Maine thinks, I just got a little carried away on my computer again"

"Join the club, my mom says I spend more time online than off"

"Do you?"

Sophie giggled "Hmm... Does sleep count? "

The two both logged into the school computers. 

Jack was Sophie's best friend, the two of them practically owned the school computer room after five, which was just the way Sophie liked it, it was no use if teachers kept kicking them off the chat rooms and messaged boards, they frequently visited. 

Sophie leaned over the top of her monitor to Jacks seat. 

"Did you find anything worthwhile?"

"Just the usual really, found a chat room that looks promising though, _Wizard of Oz_ theme."

"Ahh...I'm more of an _Alice in wonderland _girl."

"Your alias kinda gives that away Soph, Alice_45?"

"Yeah. Well, as a matter of fact, I saw a police report on a hacker who seems to be pretty into the whole _Alice _thing, someone called White_Rabbit, he's got loads of other aliases; M, God_of_dreams, Morpheus ……They seem to be having a hard time tracking him down!"

Jack shook his head "Why am I not surprised?" 

"Wp may be able to get me a lead I suppose."  Sophie pondered.

"Could do" James said as he started up his web page. "Well, good luck!"

***

[Entering WonderlandChat.com….]

[Alice_45 has entered WonderlandChat.com]

[Alice_45 requests conversation with White_pawn39]

[White_pawn39 accepts]

[Alice_45 says: Hi Wp]

[White_pawn39 says: Hi Alice]

[Alice_45 says: Have you heard of white_rabbit? He's supposed to have come here before]

[White_pawn39 says: I know who you are talking about, but I have never meet him. People say he knows answers]

[Alice_45 says: I need to find him]

[White_pawn39 says: Why?  I've heard he's a major hacker, almost impossible to find]

[Alice_45 says: I've heard he knows about something called 'The Matrix_'_]

[White_pawn39 says: The matrix?? What the hell is that?]

[Conversation terminated. Proxy error 346829]

Sophie glared at the computer screen, and brushed her dark hair out of her eyes as she tried to re-start the conversation. It was like this every time she attempted to ask anyone about this, it was as if someone was trying to stop her.

Leaning back in her chair as the website loaded, Sophie stretched and rubbed her eyes. She knew spending this much time on computers couldn't be healthy, but she didn't care. She needed to find out what this was all about. 

Both her and Jack had been interested in computers since junior high, It was Jack that had gotten Sophie interested in hacking, and Sophie who had started them searching for the Matrix. 

[Alpha requests conversation with Alice_45]

[Alpha says: Hello Alice]

Sophie hesitated; she hadn't seen this 'Alpha' on here before. And she came quite often. Deciding to risk it, she replied.

[Alice_45 says: Hello]

[Alpha says: What do you think of reality Alice?]

[Alice_45 says: What do you mean? What we see and touch? What is real?]

[Alpha says: What are you looking for Alice?]

Sophie drew her hands back from the keyboard. How did this guy know she was looking for anything? 

Casting her eyes down she knew the one thing she was truly looking for she would never find. 

But she had heard things, things about 'The Matrix' that they said held all the answers. Sophie had a lot of questions. Could Alpha be one of the hackers like White_Rabbit? He sounded like he knew what she spent her nights searching for.

[Alice_45 says: What is the matrix?]

Sophie's heart started to race as she waited for 'Alpha' to reply. She was so close now; the answers were at the tip of her fingers. 

[Alpha says: You aren't ready to know that]

Sophie gaped at the screen. _Not ready? What?!_

[Alice_45 says: I am ready!! I need to know!]

[Alpha says: No you don't, not yet. I'm sorry.]

[Alpha has left the conversation]

Sophie angrily shut down the chat room. 

He had been about to tell her damn it! After all of the late nights spent in front of her computer had finally lead her somewhere, just for her to be told she wasn't ready! 

_Wasn't ready_, she fumed, how the hell would Alpha know if she was ready or not? She had been through enough crap already after everything that had happened to…

Sophie took a deep breath. She was getting worked up over nothing. For all she knew, this 'Matrix' could just be some big scam anyway.  She would go and see if Jack had any better luck.

***

[Entering Dorothy's message board]

Jack smiled as the words on his browser were sucked up a virtual tornado, as the site opened. He had heard from a fellow hacker that there had been a few people on here that had motioned the 'Matrix'. 

Jack remembered how at first he had laughed when Sophie had told him about it. She was always looking at these sorts of conspiracy theories, but he could understand why. 

After her brother going missing a few years ago, a police office had turned up at Sophie's and her mother's house, saying how her brother had been killed after getting involved in some sort of computer crime/cult shooting.  

Even she had tried to hide it, Jack knew it had hit her hard.  So he had agreed to help her look for the answers, and had gradually realised how much he wanted to know what The Matrix was all about too. 

Jack scrolled past various threads on hacking, gaming, and some on the actual _Wizard of Oz_ film, before a blank thread caught his eye. Only it wasn't quite a blank thread, just instead of writing there was a small yellow rectangle. 

Intrigued, Jack clicked it.

Instead of opening to a normal post, a white page showing four coloured paths appeared; red, blue, green and yellow. Now this was a little more interesting than your average post, he thought.

[Which path should Dorothy follow?]

Jacks cursor danced over the four pathways. Which to follow? Follow! Suddenly it hit him, _Follow the yellow brick road_. After all, it was a _Wizard of Oz_ site.

Clicking the yellow road, the screen turned dark green, and scrolling light green writing proclaimed his entrance to 'Emerald City Chat' As Jack was scanning the online members a message box popped up.

[Oz requests conversation with Guest 408]

[Oz says: Hello Jack]

Jack palled. He had entered the site as a guest, how did they know his name?

[Guest408 says: who are you?]

[Oz says: Someone who knows the truth Jack]

Jack's mouth felt dry

[Guest 408 says: The truth? The truth about what?]

[Oz says: The truth about the world Jack, about The Matrix]

Jack froze. He'd found it; he was going to get the answers.

[Oz says: If you want to know the truth as well, meet me at the Tornado night club on 5th street, 7 o'clock.]

Jack scrambled to reply

[Guest 408 says: Yes I do, I mean I will.]

[Oz says: Tell no one.]

"Any luck Jack?"

Jack dazedly looked up to Sophie's head bobbing above his computer.

"Uhh…"

Sophie was more than just a friend to him, they'd know each other since junior high, both were slightly kooky, and certainly didn't fit in with the jocks and cheerleaders. They had been outsiders together. They had told each other everything; Jack cared a lot about her.

"Well?"

"It's just..."

He looked back to his computer, eerily another message popped up.

[Oz says: Tell no one, it would only put them in danger.]

"Hello? Earth to Jack?"

"Sorry Sophie, I thought I had a lead then, it's, It's nothing"

"No bother, dead end for me too. I'm sure something will turn up."

Jack bit his lip. He had less than an hour before he was supposed to go to the club.

"Look Soph, I'm sorry but I have to go, I…I forgot, I promised to help my dad clear out the garage "

Sophie smiled and tried not to look put out, she hated staying after school on her own.

"Yeah that's fine Jack"

Jack picked up his bag and looked to Sophie, he had no idea where this would lead him, if there was a good time to tell her how he felt it had to be now.

"Sophie. I…I" He fumbled for the right words

"What is it?" She asked, dark eyes questioning.

"I'll see you ok?" Jack scaulded himself for chickening out. 

Sophie just nodded. But her eyes followed him leaving the room.

She sat back down at her computer, but for once didn't feel like using it.

He was hiding something from her. They always told each other everything. 

What would make him keep secrets from her now?

***

Jack stared up at the faded sign for _The Tornado. _This was the place. Pushing open the heavy wooden door he warily entered the abandoned club. Squinting through the darkness, Jack thought it looked empty; maybe it wasn't the right place after all…

"Welcome Jack"

Jack blinked as flickering lights illuminated a tall, pale blond woman in silver shades. She extended a slim, white-gloved hand

"I am Serenity, although you may know me as Oz" Jack weakly shook her hand as he looked around the club.

There were about five other people he could see, the white-clad Serenity, a man with a shaven head and a pierced eyebrow, a redheaded teen, and a man and woman both in long black jackets.

"Hi" Jack attempted, to the unusual group.

Serenity smiled. "Come and join Zoë" 

She motioned to a girl with spiky pink hair, facing away from him on a sofa.

"She also wishes to know the truth."

Jack perched on the edge of the faded red sofa, next to the punky girl who gave him a vague smile.

Serenity removed her slick silver glasses, and lent towards the pair.

"Do you believe in destiny?"

***

Sophie pulled her coat tightly around her as she hurried down the dark street. She had just missed her bus. Now she was going to have to walk halfway across Capitol city, and she was already late. Her Step-dad was going to have a fit, he was a total jerk as it was and the last thing Sophie wanted was another reason for him to freak out.

Sighing she switched off her Walkman. Listening to _Linken Park_ right now was not good for her mood. She wanted to know why Jack was acting so…odd. He was never usually secretive, and hardly ever rushed off anywhere without mentioning it beforehand. 

She whished she knew what was going on, more than anything she hated being kept in the dark, and it seemed to her she that she had spent her whole life that way. She had always felt out of place, and that the truth was all around her, yet just out of reach.

Suddenly she stopped. She wasn't sure she was heading in the right direction, turning to a near street sign she saw that she was on 5th. That was blocks away from her house! She must have taken a wrong turn. 

Deciding to head down a side street to make up on time, she immediately realised she had made a mistake. Facing her were three burly looking men. 

"Right now love, just be quiet and hand over your purse and there won't be too much trouble"

Sophie felt like someone had dropped a lead weight in her stomach. One of the men tossed a knife back and forth in his hands.

"Don't be thinking of screaming now, or you might get your pretty neck slit." He hissed.

Sophie wasn't thinking of screaming, she knew how futile that would be. At this time of night in a big city, no one was going to come and save her. She was going to make a run for it.

Spinning around, she sped down the alley, but felt her arm get caught in one of the men's steel grip.

"Naughty girl, no running" 

Sophie squirmed around from the vile man. She was not going to be pushed around like this, she didn't want too end up as another 'Teen fond dead in alley'. 

Closing her eyes she frantically tried to remember the moves she'd been taught in the few odd self-defence lessons she'd taken a few years ago.

It was something with a pull, wasn't it? She couldn't remember! 

Sophie's eyes widened in fear as the guy bent down and whispered hoarsely in her ear.

"This won't hurt…much"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Author's note: **I have written the next chapter, so please review and tell me what you think, so I know whether or not to put it up!

Beth.


	2. Destiny

**Title**: - Reflections

**Rating**: - PG-13, occasional cussing and moderate violence

**Disclaimer**: - The Matrix universe and associated characters are owned by the Wachowski Brothers. 

Agents: the series universe and associated characters are co-owned by Stormhawk and Overlord Mordax, Recruit Zane is owned by The Red Pony.

I own Sophie Starling and Jack. Yay!

**Notes**: - Thank you to Catherine, One Who Spins Flags, Lunar Shadowsong and Alocin for the reviews!! And Angel for beta-ing! 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Chapter two- Destiny 

Jack stared at the two tiny pills on Serenity's outstretched hands.

Blue. 

Stay asleep, and believe whatever he wanted to believe.

Red.

Wake up and see the world as it really was.

His hand strayed between the two. He wanted to 'leave Kansas' as Serenity and put it. But he didn't want to leave Sophie. 

He pulled his hand back. 

"If I take the red pill. And I want too" He added at Serenity's look "It's just my, my friend, she wants the truth as well.  Can you take her too?"

Serenity closed her hands. 

"Jesus, what is this? A school trip?" The shaven headed rebel moaned

"Shut up Kai" Serenity snapped. She turned to Jack.

"If she is ready, and wants to be freed, then we will take her"

Jack smiled, and leant over towards the red pill.

Several things at once prevented him from taking it. 

"Shit! Agents!"  The red-haired girl screamed 

Serenity's eyes widened in fear and she snatched her hand away from Jack.

"Get down and stay down!" she yelled to the potentials.

Jack ducked down under a table as he saw the group pull out guns and aim at the door. What was happening?

Suddenly the door burst open, sending splinters of wood flying across the room.

Silhouetted in the doorway, against the night sky, were three imposing suited figures. Gaze masked by dark glasses and guns simultaneously aimed into the club.

It just dawned on Jack why the rebels had been so scared

***

Sophie screwed up her eyes. The man was reaching the knife up to her thought, she cold feel the ice-cold metal against her skin. He was going to silence her. She didn't want to die! 

Sophie stopped trying to remember the moves. She was just going to have to improvise. 

Slamming her knee into the mans groin, and swinging her back pack around into his head, she squirmed out of his grip, and ran faster than ever before down the alley, she knew it wasn't going to slow him down for long. 

"No!" Sophie groaned as she nearly ran into a wall. It was a dead end.

Checking behind her, the three men were running towards her, and were catching up fast. Her eyes darted around the dark alley. What was she supposed to do now? There was nowhere she could go! 

Sophie mentally thanked whoever may be listening as she noticed an old fire escape. Sprinting towards it she prayed that it was open. 

"Thank god" she muttered as the slammed the metal door behind her. She was safe.

At least she though she was. Looking around her at the confused looks of several people with guns, she decided that the alley might have been a safer option after all.

***

Smith turned from the girl who had just burst through the doorway, and placed his fingers to his earpiece ^Three humans, still plugged. Minimal threat. Eliminate the rebels only^

Sophie was still frozen to the spot when the shooting started. She instinctively dropped to the floor, and felt herself being quickly pulled under a table.

"Stay under here, hopefully they won't notice us." A hushed voice spoke.

"Jack!"

Sophie gripped her friend into a hug, before pulling away, embarrassed. 

"What are you doing here? I thought you were helping your dad!"

Jack looked sheepish. "Well…about that." He sighed. 

"I was contacted Soph. I wanted to tell you, I really did.  But they said it would only put you in danger. I guess they weren't kidding"

Sophie jumped back as a bullet ricocheted under the table. 

"You're certainly right about that!"

She cast her head down. "Jack what are we going to do?"

They were stuck under a table in the middle of what appeared to be a shoot out between a bunch of Goths and some people who wouldn't look at all out of place in a _Bond_ film.

"I think we should probably…" James began, but was cut off as the red hair teen and Zoë, the other potential dived past them out of the fire escape, and were speedily followed by a male and female Agent.

"…Probably try to leave as soon as we can" 

Peering out from under the table, Sophie watched as the tallest suited man continued to fight the group. All of them were moving at a speed that Sophie didn't even realise was possible. 

Every time one of the rebels dived for the door, the Agent cut them off. It was like watching a wolf circling a flock of sheep. 

"Jack, which ones are the good guys?"

"I thought it was Serenity and her crew but..." he shook his head. "…I'm not sure; it's hard to tell. They were very cryptic"

Jack saw Serenity duck out of the fight and shoot the remaining suited man. That wasn't something the good guys would do.

There was a blue crackle of electricity as an old woman fell to the floor. That was a bit weird. Not attempting to understand what had just happened. Jack saw the opportunity to leave

"Come on!" he yelled, dragging Sophie from under the table. They had to leave while there was a pause in the fighting

They pair speed past the group of rebels, busy trying to reload and leave before the Agent returned.

Jack jolted to a stop halfway to the door, back to her. He seemed to flicker slightly.

"Jack, we need to get out of here!"

"Oh no" Serenity said softly. "Step away from him, he's going to turn" 

"What do you mean? Jack, we need to go." Reaching her hand to his shoulder, Sophie gasped as his top flickered to a suit and back.

"Agent" The shaven headed rebel spat, and aimed his gun. He wasn't about to have some kid turned into an Agent to kill him.

"No Kai, wait!" Serenity yelled, but with a muffled thud, Jack had already hit the floor. 

Sophie stifled a sob, running to him. "Jack?" She choked, turning him to face her.

"Why hell did you do that Kai? He was resisting!" A man in black demanded.

Sophie ignored the quarrelling rebels, and knelt down by he friend "Jack please, wake up." She begged

His eyes flickered open, "Hey Soph" he said dazedly.

Sophie bit her lip, trying not to look at the blood quickly soaking his t-shirt. He had been shot right in the chest. 

"You going to be all right, just…just..." she looked up in despair. He was going to die. She knew it. Why was this happening to them? They hadn't done anything. They were just normal people. 

"Please Jack, don't leave me."

He smiled ruefully, "Soph, I need to tell you, I tried to before, but you know how I am with these types of things" 

He tried to lean towards her, but winced. His hazel eyes met her tearful brown ones. It really was now or never.

"I don't think you feel the same way, but I needed to tell you. I care for you much more than a friend." Sophie held his cold hands. "I love you Sophie."

Sophie let out a slight laugh of disbelief. He felt the same way. She found out that he felt the same way as her, _now_.

"Jack, I've always felt that way about you. I've been in love with you since Junior high." 

Jack broke into a weak grin. "Well that makes it a lot less embarrassing. I really do love you." 

Sophie lent down, and softly their lips met. She didn't want it ever to end; she didn't want to let him go.

Gently he pulled away. "Please hold on Jack, I need you." Sophie cried. It wasn't fair. He couldn't leave her now!

"I wish I could. Promise me you'll never forget Soph. Remember that I love you" 

Sophie felt his breathing stop, laying him down she frantically checked his pulse.  He couldn't be gone. He just couldn't!

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do." 

Sophie ignored the tall female rebel, as her and her companions went to leave. They had let him die. That man had killed Jack and they had done nothing to stop it.

"They've changed it!" The woman in black gestured to where the fire escape had been. 

She quickly ran to the main entrance, but stopped dead as she came face to chest with the Agent.

Brown smirked and shot her.  The rebels quickly raised their guns and fried at the Agent. 

Sophie didn't bother to try and get away. What was the point? Crouched on the floor fixated, she watched the fight. The 'Agent' was moving so fast his body blurred. Not a single bullet had touched him. How was that possible? 

Smiling morbidly, she bitterly hoped he killed them all.

***

Serenity dropped her empty gun and ran at the Agent. She was damned if she was going to let him take down her whole crew. 

Focusing her energy into her punches at his chest, Serenity was horrified to see them all blocked with pathetic ease, and was soon sent flying into a table by a single blow.

Dragging her self back up, Serenity was joined by the man in black, but the Agent, effortlessly countered even the two of them, with a dance of kicks and punches.

He didn't notice Kai coming up behind, planning to make his second kill of the night. Sophie however, did. 

She knew it was dangerous, and probably very stupid. But she wasn't about to let him take another life that night. Whether it was innocent or not. He had killed Jack. Killed him for no good reason, and Sophie wanted revenge.

Brown growled as his gun was knocked from his hand by a round kick from the blond rebel. He lifted her up by the white leather lapel of her jacket, and threw her into the black clad man.

The smile of triumph was momentarily wiped off Brown's face, as he felt the barrel of a gun pushed up against his skull.  Oddly though, he didn't have the need to shift.

Sophie leapt up and launched herself at the rebel. Knocking them both to the ground. 

"Get off me little girl." Kai intoned patronisingly

Sophie let out her anger in a well-aimed punch at his face. "You killed him! Why?"

Kai wiped the blood from his lip. "You little..." he muttered, trying to draw his gun. 

"Who cares who I shot? He was just a useless coppertop."

"No, he was more than that." Sophie yelled, attempting to wrestle the gun from his hands. "I'm not going to let you kill anyone else." She promised icily.  

Kai laughed sharply, as he wrenched the gun from her grip. "What you gonna do to stop me? Kill me?" He mocked

Sophie's eye caught the desert eagle, skidding towards her from the ensuing fight between the two rebels and the Agent. She swiped it up. 

"Sorry baby, to slow."  Kai snarled pulling the trigger. Nothing happened. He went pale.

Sophie smiled darkly. "Empty." 

The desert eagle gave a muffled shot  

"I'm not."

***

Sophie lowered her gun with a satisfied smirk.  She had killed him.

Suddenly the realisation of what just done finally dawned on her. A leaden weight settled in her stomach as she thought about it. She had just shot someone. Killed someone. She had just taken the man's life. What scared her the most though, was that she didn't regret it. She had enjoyed it.

Agent Brown dusted off his hands and, turned from his now dead assailants. 

He was genuinely surprised to see the shaven headed rebel dead on the floor and a young girl still holding a gun in her hands. His gun. 

The girl looked up towards him fearfully. 

"I shot him." She whispered, almost to herself. "I didn't mean to, well I did, but…." She spluttered, trailing off under Browns unwavering gaze.

Brown stared at the girl quizzically. She had obviously intended to kill the man, so why was she behaving so oddly?

"Aren't you going to arrest me?" Sophie said with confusion. 

She had just shot someone, A few feet away from the man. He looked like a government type, so why wasn't he rushing to arrest her? 

If Brown hadn't considered it below him he would have laughed.

"No, I am not going to arrest you. You have helped detain a dangerous terrorist group." He stated. 

It was the generic explanation given to un-aware humans. It wasn't exactly far from the truth. 

Sophie frowned slightly. She was going to be let off? The people hadn't seemed like your average terrorists, but then that man hadn't fought like your average government agent. 

She stared down at the gun, and held it out towards him. 

"I think this may be yours. How…how could you move like that? It was…unreal!" she questioned with awe.

Brown holstered his gun. How much exactly had the girl seen? If she aware of the Matrix why hadn't she been one of the rebel potentials? 

He requested the girl's file. 

[Sophie Starling, 

Date of Birth: 21/11/86

Place of Birth: Lower Downtown, Capital City, 

Parents: Michele and John, father deceased, no siblings, 

Education: Central West Junior High and Owen Patterson High, 

Criminal record: none, 

Minor hacker- blue marked.]  

It appeared she had been searching for the rebels from sometime, but had yet to be contacted.  Brown hated recruiting. And he particularly hated recruiting women. But the girl had managed to take out a rebel on her own.  If he passed her off, Brown knew he could be questioned by the mainframe, and the last thing hewanted was to disobey the mainframe.

"Have you ever used a gun before Miss Starling?" 

Sophie blinked. How did he know her name? "No…no I haven't.... Sir"

Brown assessed the girl from behind his dark glasses. He _could_ recruit her, but if she didn't want to know the truth about the matrix…

"Uh, My friend Jack." Sophie closed her eyes a second, and took a breath. 

"My friend said these people were going to tell him the truth about the Matrix. Do you know what they meant? Do you know what the Matrix is?"

Brown smirked. It appeared that he had a recruit after all.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Author's note: **Please review, constructive criticism is always welcomed, and reviews make me write faster!!

Beth.


	3. Through the looking glass

**Note:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed!! Sorry about the weird chapter mess up I have no Idea how I managed to upload them backwards! 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 3 – through the looking glass 

Sophie stumbled back a few paces as the nightclub disappeared, replaced by almost blinding white walls in comparison to the shadowy club. Steadying herself she hurried after "Agent Brown" as he had called himself. 

She couldn't believe he was a programme, how could something that seemed so human be just code? Her mind reeled at the idea that the whole world around wasn't real and had never been real. It was just a simulation. She had been lost for words when the Agent had explained it to her, but yet, somehow it had seemed to fit. 

Sophie had accepted the chance to be a recruit straight away, she couldn't go back to her normal life now, She had found out what it really was, she had found the answer. The Matrix was her world. 

* * *

Spinning around the corner after the fast pacing Agent, Sophie found herself nearly walking straight into a 30-foot wall. The tall Agent was waiting silently.

"My associates appear to be slightly late." He stated, with what Sophie was sure was distaste. Brown refrained from adding, _As usual._  

Soon the double doors to the hall swung open, and three Agents with two more potential recruits entered. Among the impeccably smart suits, Sophie wished that she had worn something different to baggy jeans, a black t-shirt and scruffy trainers. 

"Agents Smith, Mimosa and Jones." Brown announced. The two male agents nodded curtly, and the female gave a brief smile.

The two other potentials stepped forward. One was a skinny boy with glasses, and the other was the pink-haired girl who had been at the club. Sophie guessed that the two agents must have caught up with her after she had run off.

Agent Smith stepped forward, and looked at the possible recruits, He paused and gave the last one a double take, and frowned. 

There was something odd about that girl, Smith knew he was an Agent, a program, and shouldn't even have instincts, but something was telling him this girl was bad news.

Sophie shuddered involuntarily as the Agent looked at her. Why was he staring at her? What the hell was his problem? 

Smith shook off the feeling and continued.

"The first task is to get across to the other side of the wall, and return. Those who pass it will progress to the next stage."   
  


Lightly crouching he leapt up over the wall and landed on the other side, then jumped back over and landed, without so much as having to adjust his tie. 

"Begin." 

Sophie's eyes widened, how was she supposed to do that?

She watched as Agent Jones ushered his recruit forward. 

The boy successfully complete the jump straight away, with only a slight pause on top of the wall.

Next the pink-haired girl ran at the wall and somersaulted off the floor, over top, and did the same to get back across.

Sophie realised that it was her turn. She could do this, it was just code, it should be easy. 

She walked towards the brick wall. The other two could do it, so could she. 

Taking a deep breath, running at the wall, she leapt up into the air, She was doing it! Doing the impossible. 

Suddenly Sophie realised exactly what she was doing, and froze just from the top of the wall, trying to hold back a yell she fell backwards, and barely gripped the edge of the wall, smacking into it with the momentum. 

_Oh shit_, she thought, _I can't do this! _

Sophie's face grew red, she knew that everyone was watching her; she swore she heard Agent Brown mutter something about 'useless humans'

She couldn't do it. What was going to happen to her now? How could she not even pass the first task? She couldn't go back to her normal life now, she had to do this. It was just code.

Closing her eyes, Sophie scrambled her feet up the surface of the wall, into a crouching position and pushed up off the wall, soon she flipped over and managed to somersault over the top of the wall, and land, slightly flushed on the other side. Sophie grinned. She had done it. Straightening up, she turned around she jumped up, and cleared easily. 

"Your first jump was a little…slow. But your second jump, was very good." Said the female Agent.

Sophie smiled in relief. 

Agent Jones tapped a few keys on his laptop and the wall disappeared, with a squat dark building appearing in its place.

"The second task is to patrol the nightclub simulation for rebels, and dispose of them. You will be working with a partner."

Smith turned to three new potential recruits that Sophie hadn't noticed enter the room and assigned them partners. 

A Cheerful blond shook Sophie's hand.

"Hi! I'm Sally, we're partners!"

"Hi..." Sophie replied warily. 

"Oh isn't this just so exciting! And to think, yesterday I was only looking forward to cheerleading practice!" 

Sophie grimaced, God, she hated cheerleaders. Especially the extra perky ones, and Sally sounded like she'd just had a caffeine overdose.

Sophie's attention was soon drawn to the gun thrust in her hand by Agent Smith.

"You have each been given a regulation desert eagle, if you are successful In this task and the next, this is the gun you will use."  Smith said.

"You start now."

"Oh like, wow! I've never used a gun before! This is the coolest!" Sally squealed as they entered the club

Sophie groaned, there goes any chance of a surprise attack.

"So, who recruited you? Did you get contacted by Morpheus or someone else?" Sally asked loudly

"Do you mind being a little quieter, we are here to do a job you-know" Sophie muttered.

"Sorry!" Sally whispered, "We can still like talk though right? Oh I'm so excited!!"

Sophie rolled her eyes. "I guess we can talk. I was recruited by Agent Brown, and I wasn't contacted by Morpheus." 

She didn't want to tell Sally she hadn't been contacted at all, she knew it would just provoke a shower of "ohmygod!" and "like no way!"s Which was not what she needed right now, it was bad enough knowing that the rebels would contact someone like Sally but tell _her_ she wasn't ready.

"Ohmygod! You haven't met Morpheus? That is just sooo bad! He is like 'The' rebel guy"

"What a pity" Sophie said flatly. She hadn't run into any rebels in here yet, so where were they?

"You-know.." Sally began in a surprisingly less cheerful voice. "I know that Morpheus is a rebel and all, but some of the stuff he said made a lot of sense."

Sophie turned and stared at her. "What do you mean made a lot of sense?"

"Well about being free and all"

Sophie paused. This was not good. She was in a nightclub full of rebels, with someone who sounded like she was having second thoughts about being a recruit.

"If the Agents hadn't found me I would have defiantly taken the red pill, I almost wish I had..." Sally sighed

Sophie wasn't sure what to do. It sounded to her that Sally if not a rebel now, certainly wanted to become one. What was she supposed to do? Shoot her? But maybe Sally was already working for the rebels, and had important information.

 "Yeah I totally agree..." Sophie began; Sally smiled, and fell to the floor unconscious, from the impact of Sophie's gun on her temple.

"Why did you do that?"  A voice inquired. Sophie jumped, she didn't know whether to be relived or not that it was Agent Brown, she wasn't sure if knocking out a fellow recruit would bode well. 

"She was having second thoughts about becoming a recruit, and agreeing with the rebels ideas Sir. I thought she could be a traitor."

"Why didn't you shoot her?"

Sophie frowned slightly. " I thought she might have information on the rebels that could be useful."

The Agent remained blank-faced, so it was impossible for Sophie to guess if he approved or not.

Agents Mimosa and Smith appeared. Smith looked down to the unconscious Sally, and back to Sophie. 

"What happened?"

"Miss Starling thought it may prove useful to interrogate the…_ potential recruit"_ Brown stated, a little surprised. 

The three Agents shared a look. Stef tried her best to hide her amusement.

"That will not be necessary Miss Starling, you may dispose of your partner." Smith ordered.

Sophie shrugged off the confusion about the Agents behaviour. 

She did her best to forget she had just been talking to the girl, aimed the gun at Sally's head, and fired. 

Smith looked slightly surprised that she had done it. 

"Ending task" Agent Jones stated, walking over. 

The nightclub disappeared, along with Sally. Where had she gone?

Agent Brown turned to Sophie. "You have passed the second task."

"But I didn't find any rebels." Sophie shook her head "And where did the other recruit go?"

"The actual purpose of the second task was to get ride of any recruits that could be traitorous. The other recruit was also just part of the programme. She wasn't an actual human." Explained Brown.

"So I didn't kill her?"

Brown didn't answer.

***

The four Agents were stood around a table laid out with assorted weaponry. 

Smith explained the final task to the two remaining recruits Zoë and Sophie.

"You have passed the two pervious tasks, you are in the minority, only 1 recruit in 50 reaches this stage." He gave no mention of Jones' recruit. 

"The final task is to retrieve an important disk from this building." 

Sophie gave a slight gasp as two identical large oriental style buildings appeared out of thin air, a few feet away. 

"The disk will be protected by a number of rebels, and it is your objective to retrieve it from them by any means necessary."

Stef handed the pair a new set of ammunition and a slick cell-phone each. 

"You can contact us on this after you have completed the mission, or if you require anything for your task."  

"You may begin"

Sophie flipped the gun off safety and pocketed the phone. This was going to decide what happened to her for the rest of her life, she couldn't mess it up.

The two girls walked up towards their respective buildings.  

The pink haired Zoë gave a smirk. "Good luck on the task, after your interesting 'jump' I think your going to need it." 

Sophie scowled, she had been a little slow getting the hang of the jumps, so what?

Reaching the large oak front doors, she pushed it open with her left hand, and slid into the dark building. Scanning the silent entrance hall, it looked empty.

Still aiming her gun, Sophie crept into the main hall of the building. It looked like a type of gym or Dojo. There were mats stacked in the corner, and a few cupboards of equipment. At the far end of the room, was a table with a steel safe, That had to be where the disk was. 

Sophie had to restrain herself from running straight up and grabbing it. There was no way that the last task could be this easy. The Agents had said that the disk was protected, so where was the protection?

It had to be some sort of trap. Sophie pause and looked around the rest of the room. There were two more doors either side of her, and the high ceiling with metal supports showed that there was only one floor. 

Still no one had seemed to notice she was in here. Even if it was a trap, she was going to have to try and take the disk. There was no other way.

Giving the room a last sweep with her gun, she walked forward a few paces and broke into a run.

Reaching the safe, Sophie found it to be locked, she tried a few combinations, but to no avail. Well this was useful; she had no idea how to break into safes. 

Sighing Sophie suddenly remembered her gun. Stepping back she aimed it at the lock. There was a sharp clang of metal, and the door flew open. 

Sophie grinned and pulled out the disk. "If at first you don't succeed, shoot it until it works." 

Turning around to leave Sophie suddenly stopped grinning; there were around 15 guns pointed at her, from a large group of rebels, blocking the way out of the hall.

Sophie had a split second to slip the disk in her pocket before the shooting started.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Please review!! Thank you!**


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